5 Questions That Need Answers
posted Friday October 24th, 2008 by Marce

Going into Turkey Bowl IX there are several interesting questions surrounding the game. Obviously these questions won't be answered until after the players take the field, but being the prognosticator that I am I figured I'd give it a shot

1. Who will come out as the career passing TD leader?
Mike Trill and Tim Dougherty are the clear leaders when it comes to career passing touchdowns. Since scoring stats started being recorded in Turkey Bowl IV the passing title has changed hands after every game; the only exception being a tie after Turkey Bowl V. With these two rivals acting as both captain and QB this year, and with Tim currently holding a 23-21 lead, which one of these decorated quarterbacks will spend the next year as the most accomplished passer in TFL history?
Prediction: If you compare the stable of receivers that both have at their service I'd say this match up would be a push right now. However, with the way Doc drafted his team there is a strong possibility that Paul Middleton could spend a lot of time at QB with Tim trying to hold down the fort in the trenches. Keeping in mind the fact that Trill can be very effective when given time, I'd have to say that Trill will take back the All Time Passing TD crown; with the possibility of building up a substantial lead.

2. Will the individual scoring record be broken again?
Two years ago, in Turkey Bowl VII, Rich DiNofia became the first TFLer to touch end zone soil four times in one game. Then, last year Sergeant Slaughter bettered that record by finding pay dirt five times in Turkey Bowl VIII. So will the scoring bonanza continue in 2008?
Prediction: I'm gonna go with no on this one. Unless the final score is something ridiculous like 17-15 I can't see anyone scoring six touchdowns. No offense to my man Rich, but that seemed like a once in a lifetime performance for him; especially since he hadn't scored more than once in any other Turkey Bowl. And as for Slaughter, I think he will garner a little more defensive attention this year after last year's record setting mark. I could see him scoring big (three or four TDs), but a new record might be out of reach.

3. Will Tim Doc be playing line?
Scanning the Linebacker U roster reveals one glaring flaw... where's the other lineman? At this point Mike "Don't Call Me Boscella" Bucella is the only accomplished lineman on the team, so will this lack of a second dependable lineman force Tim into another role?
Prediction: If last year proved anything it's that the game is decided in the trenches. With that said I think it would be in Doc's best interests to sacrifice for the team, strap it on as a lineman, and let Middleton (who, remember, is a fairly talented QB) take over the quarterbacking duties. But that's not the way I see it playing out. I think Dougherty will remain in the backfield and Linebacker U will go with a steady rotation of Tom Orio, Bill Pohlig and Ian Hart as the second lineman.

4. Who will be this year's MVP?
All nine MVP holders are on a roster for Turkey Bowl IX. That means half (9/18) of the participants are one time MVPs, and gives a 50/50 chance that we will have a duplicate MVP. So out of the 18 participants, who walks away with the hardware?
Prediction: Last year Tim Doc became the first ever two time MVP; he'd have to put up one hell of a performance to make it three times. Linemen have been a popular choice recently, but I think Thug U's three headed monster of Laughlin, Hart and Cottom would steal votes from each other; so one would have to be especially dominant to stand out from the crowd. If Linebacker U pulls out a W that would mean Tuna played a great game and would definitely make him a front runner. But for some reason I see the MVP coming from the winner of the Slaughter/Crooks battle. Whoever out of those two can hold their opponent in check, while scoring a few times themselves could very well walk away with the 2008 MVP Trophy.

5. Will Keith Cottom remain undefeated?
In 2004 Keith Cottom was just some chump from Springfield, invited to play football on Thanksgiving morning with his Ridley friends. Now, four years later he is yet to taste defeat on Pritchard Field. Standing at 4-0, Cottom is well past the beginner's luck stage; but will he be successful in his drive for five?
Prediction: Tim Doc has admitted that the reason he didn't draft Cottom was because he wanted to be the one to hand him his first loss. This could prove to be a colossal mistake, or a monumental prediction on the level of Joe Namath. Cottom's 4-0 record can obviously be attributed to more than luck, but at the same time Dougherty is no slouch at 6-2. I think we all know by now that the game is won or lost at the line of scrimmage, and I think even the most avid Linebacker U supporter will admit that Thug U holds the advantage there. If Linebacker U can find a viable option to stand next to Tuna they might have a shot at this one, but unfortunately for the blue clothed warriors I don't see that happening. For some reason I see this being a high scoring game, but I see it heavily in Thug U's favor. At this time I'll make my official prediction:
Thug U - 14
Linebacker U - 6